Turn Back The Hands Of Time
by Dajypop
Summary: Double D never thought life would look so bleak. Meeting a blast from the past seems to stir up more than just feelings of regret.
1. The Joker And The Thief

**Title:** Turn Back The Hands Of Time  
**Author:** Daisy  
**Fandom:** Ed, Edd, 'n Eddy  
**Setting:** College Ages, Peach Creek, Yet Unnamed City  
**Pairing:** Eddy/Edd, Kevin/Edd  
**Genre:** Romance/Drama  
**Rating:** M  
**Chapters:** 1/?  
**Word Count:** 929  
**Type of Work:** Chapter Story  
**Status:** Incomplete  
**Warnings:** Abuse, Tobacco Use, Alcohol Dependency, Co-Dependency, Yaoi/Gayness/Slash, Self Medication, Trauma  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.  
**Summary:** Double D never thought life would look so bleak. Meeting a blast from the past seems to stir up more than just feelings of regret.

**AN:** Well, now. This story came to me and just really needed to get out. I don't know why my muse was so high for it, but here it is. It's going to be a bit of a darker story than what I usually write, but I think I needed a break from trying to force myself to write happy, cute things when I feel more like driving my truck into the river. Depression sucks, but there's always a silver lining. I hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter One: The Joker And The Thief******

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Whenever Edd had contemplated his life as a child, he'd seen nothing but Nobel Peace Prizes and patents in his future. It had never occurred to him that no matter how well-prepared someone was, or how great their test scores were, that the company they kept was just as important. Instead of going to the Ivy League school he'd been planning on, the school that had practically been begging for him since the SATs, he found himself at the local community college because his friends 'needed him'. Sure, Ed was a bit of a lost cause, still in highschool at twenty, but Eddy could have probably survived on his own.

Of course, with friends like them, staying on top of twenty credit hours of schoolwork didn't exactly seem easy. With Eddy's scams running rampant, his work was sometimes muddled, and, while impressive, most teachers wouldn't accept an essay over the propulsion components of laundry detergent when the assignment had been a review of _Being and Nothingness_. Which he had read, and hung off of every word like it was his own personal life plan. Needless to say, the review didn't come in so handy when Eddy was ready to try that jetpack idea again, and he'd been forced to rework all of his calculations from memory.

With all of his drawbacks, and all of the things working against him, he still never imagined that this would be his life.

"Hey, Double D," Eddy began from where he'd decided on leaving a full-body indention in the couch, "Could you go get two more coals goin'?"

"Uh…" Looking at the book before him on the table, and the papers strewn about, half-mixed with monster comics Ed wouldn't keep in his room, he finally sighed, "I suppose."

Getting up and having to abandon his work yet again, he made his way to the kitchen, around the island, and to the stove. Beside it sat the box of CocoNara coals they bought exclusively for the hookah that Eddy tended to hog. Thinking back, he still wasn't entirely sure what possessed them to smoke, but sometimes it was one of the only things that would put his life into perspective. To calm down with the deep breathing that it forced on him, and to be able to think without having to worry too much about Ed or Eddy, because they were right there with him. Life seemed calmer and easier to handle when he smoked, and that was one thing he liked about the towering monster Eddy still sucked on relentlessly, though the coals had all but run out.

"And while you're in there, could you make me a sandwich?" The rather pudgy man questioned, issuing an obligatory, "Thanks, Double D."

Because he knew that if he thanked the smarter male _before_ he did something for him that it would get done because the other would never relinquish his precious manners.

With a small grumble, the middle Ed-Boy slumped a little, turning on the back left burner as he set two coals on it, before moving to the sink. Spending approximately five minutes and thirty seconds being sure his hands were clean, that beneath his nails was spotless, and that he wouldn't put any contaminants in the food, he finally made the other his sandwich. Preempting any requests for a second and a bag of chips, he brought the other his smorgasbord and set it down.

"So, how did the interview today go, Eddy?" Suppressing any bite from his voice, he successfully managed to sound cheerful, even though he was certain he would get bad news.

"Interview?" Scoffing and rolling his eyes, he shook his head, "What intervie-" And then realization struck, "Oh, uh… Good. It went, uh… Good." Yeah, that was the best coverup. Even _Ed_ would have understood _that_.

"Oh, did it? That's _wonderful_." Now, the sarcasm leaked into Double D's voice as he headed for the table to collect his things. As long as they were safely locked in his room, he didn't have to deal with this.

"Double D~" Eddy whined, climbing onto his knees to look over the back of the couch, "Where are you going?"

"Out." Was the only reply as he strained himself to keep from stomping his way to his basement bedroom. With his homework, backpack, and other necessary items locked up in his room, he made for the front door with his car keys in hand. He needed to just get out… And a regular walk wouldn't do. Passing Ed by as he stomped down the steps, heading for his car, the smartest Ed didn't bother with words, simply locking himself in the spiffy white Sedan and driving away with Motion City Soundtrack blaring from the speakers.

On the open road, out and away from that house on the outskirts of town, he felt free, rolling down the windows to feel the breeze in his dark hair. It was nice to get away every so often, and even now he welcomed freedom into his open arms. The drive into the city wasn't a long one, but it was secluded and not often traveled, leaving him free of most frustrations as he drove. Driving with the utmost care, he soon found himself parking on the outskirts of the park, and decided this would be a wonderful place for a walk.

Plugging his iPod into his headphones and starting his slow walk through nature, he didn't expect what would happen next. But, some surprises were always welcome.

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AN: Alright, kids, lemme know what you thought! I really want to get some feedback for this story, so let 'er rip!


	2. I Swear, I Don't Have A Gun

**Chapter:** 2/?  
**Word Count: **462  
**Pairings:** Kevin/Edd  
**Warnings:** Alcohol abuse (mentioned)

**AN: **Chapter two already… This one will be sort of Kevin-centric, and then it will finally lead to their meeting. This is really helping me out, I think. My chest doesn't feel as tight anymore, and I think I can breathe easily again. I hope you guys don't mind this change from what I usually write, but I've been in a real crap mood and out of everything I've written in the past three days, this is the only thing to get posted. Maybe I'll post the others when I feel better. Maybe I won't, we'll have to see. Anyways, for now, enjoy this chapter. ^^

**Chapter Two: I Swear, I Don't Have A Gun******

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If Kevin Rhymes gave any thoughts to his future when he was younger, this certainly wasn't what he'd expected. He'd been thinking college scholarships for sports, getting out of Peach Creek and seeing the world, and maybe one day being a pro player. Basketball, football, it didn't matter what for, as long as he got to play.

But things had gone sour his senior year of high school when he'd gotten into a pretty horrible fight with his father that left his right arm broken nearly in half. After that, he just sort of stopped doing things he loved and started trying to find ways to cope.

Nazz had once been one of those ways, but he quickly realized that was going nowhere. She was the older girl, sought after by most of the boys in the Cul-De-Sac, and yet she had no aspirations of bigger things. She was content with partying with the kids she'd known her entire life, with staying in the same place and not moving on to bigger and better things. That hadn't sat well with Kevin, not one bit; he wanted to leave it all behind more than anything.

And he had, as soon as he had enough money and enough of his dad's shit. The man was either not home, showering him with gifts because of his guilt, or causing more stress than his son could bear. He'd hopped on his motorcycle and had no intention of ever looking back, riding to the nearest big city and settling in as soon as he could. Unlike some of the kids he'd grown up, he wasn't disillusioned to think that everything would work out in the end.

Working a dead-end job, living in a shitty apartment downtown, and spending most of his excess money on booze seemed to be what he was stuck with. The only time he felt like he was acceptable was when he worked on his bike, or when he drove it around town. And when he didn't know where else to drive to, where else he could go to stew in his thoughts and try to work through some things, he ended up at the park.

Tossing the helmet onto the seat and leaving it like that, he gave a languorous stretch, only putting his leather-clad arms down when he heard a satisfying _pop_. Starting on the path he always walked when he just wanted to think, he passed flowers, bushes and trees alike as he headed towards the small wall that overlooked the ocean, with its brick and mortar beginnings and the wrought iron fence warding people from jumping… He almost felt like something would come of today that would be fruitful.

What he didn't expect was that he'd _ever_ see _him_ again.

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AN: Well then… I hope this chapter was a little insight into my Kevin. I'm pretty happy with it, even though it's short. It's funny, this is the first thing I'm happy with through four days of work… Maybe this story was more necessary than I thought.


	3. There's No One Else Quite Like You

**Chapter:** 3/?  
**Word Count:** 1240  
**Pairings:** Kevin/Edd  
**Warnings:** Flirting, mentions of abuse

**AN: **Wow, this story just keeps flowing and flowing out of me. I'm staying up all day/night, so we'll see if this ends up being my closest to completed chapter story or not. It really seems to be helping me stay in a good mood, however, so I hope this continues. I'm starting to get tired, but with any luck I'll keep posting to this throughout the day.

**Chapter Three: There's No One Else Quite Like You******

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At first, Kevin was almost sure that he was seeing things. That stupid sockhat, he remembered it from his youth. He hadn't seen it in four years… And suddenly it turns up, and the boy beneath it had grown quite a bit… He watched as Double D stared out at the ocean, staring through the gilded cage before him and giving a sigh. Before he knew what was happening, his feet were carrying him closer to the other man, and he clapped a hand on a slim shoulder, thoroughly startling the smaller.

Nearly leaping a foot off the ground when someone touched him, he pulled his headphones off, about to politely ask him what he was doing (rather shrilly) before he paused. Blue eyes settling into green, he had to tear them away to look the person up and down, and suddenly realization struck and a big, almost goofy smile plastered itself onto his face.

"Kevin?!"

"Yeah, Double Dweeb- Er… Double D. It's me." He grinned, rubbing a little at the scruff on his chin. "Been a long time. I see you finally got the braces off." It wasn't exactly the smartest thing to say, but he couldn't stop staring at the other's brilliant smile. It was so white he wouldn't be surprised if the other brushed his teeth six times a day with bleach.

"U-uh, oh, yeah… Those have been off for a while, now. I can't believe that's how you remember me…" Blushing slightly, the smaller male suddenly felt awkward. Kevin was his school bully; even now he had a hard time not calling him names… And yet he felt he wanted to hug him. Things weren't the same in Peach Creek without him, and it just seemed so… Opportune that he met him at this time. "You've certainly grown." He murmured after a moment, eyes on the large biceps and sculpted body that he somehow missed in high school. Forcing his eyes back up to the other's face, he gave a sheepish grin, "What are you doing with yourself, lately?"

"Oh, uh…" Somehow, he didn't think 'drinking and working' was a very good answer, so he tried to come up with something else, "Just working and modifying my bike. She's really lookin' good, lately." Yeah, that was safe enough. For some reason, he didn't really want the other to look down on him… Not that he really seemed the type. Double D looked mousier than ever, shifty and almost like… No, not him. Nobody would be_that_ heartless, would they?

"That's good…" The conversation was waning fast, but for some reason the noiret didn't want to see it end. "I've been going to college…" _But my grades are anything but satisfactory_, he thought dismally. "Living with Eddy and Ed in a house we rent…"

"That's cool…" Scrambling for something else to say, he quickly picked out a topic that he thought might be safe, "How are those two doing? N-not that I care or anything."

"Heh, of course not." He seemed fond of the other's attempt at sounding nonchalant, "Ed's working at the comic shop in town, still trying to pass high school… And Eddy… Well. Um… W-we're sort of dating, now. He doesn't exactly do anything, really, just kind of whatever he wants, like always."

"D-dating?" It was hard to keep his eyes from turning into saucers at that admittance, and suddenly he felt ashamed for the thoughts he'd been thinking. If Double D was taken, then he probably really didn't want anything to do with him. "Oh, uh, yeah, that's… Cool. Hey, uh… What're you doing in town?"

"Well… Um… I just needed some time away from Eddy, I suppose. Not like I was getting any homework done, anyway…" Scratching the back of his neck, he looked away.

"You, uh… You eat dinner, yet? I know this all-night deli place that has this real picky chef… He used to be a food inspector, so it's guaranteed you get good food." What was he doing? Just because the other looked so vulnerable didn't mean he had to invite him out to eat…

"Ah, actually, no, I haven't… We could go eat, catch up some… I-if that's what you want." Where did this sudden shyness come from? Sure, the young Wilson boy wasn't exactly known for having a strong spine, but he hadn't felt like this in a long time.

"Alright!" Having to force himself not to pump his fist in excitement, Kevin grinned at the younger; and actually felt joy behind the expression. Strange as it was, he welcomed it with wide arms, ushering the smaller male between them, as well, hugging him tight to his chest for a moment. It took a few seconds before the smaller deemed it safe and snaked his thin arms around the other's waist, and the pair stood like that for what felt like an eternity. It was like they were tucked away in their own little pocket of time and nothing could touch them; both young men appreciated the feeling.

"Okay, uh… I suppose we should go. You, uh, you wanna ride with me?" The redhead smiled with a rather happy glint in his eyes.

"Oh, I really shouldn't-"

"I don't mind. C'mon, it'll be fun. I know you don't take risks often, but I promise you'll be fine with me." Pulling out of the hug and offering his hand to the other, he tugged him along. Following only somewhat willingly (damn, Kevin had a strong grip), Double D felt his heart pounding and his mouth seemed perpetually dry. He was probably just really happy to see Kevin, that had to be it.

When they got to the shining beauty that Kevin was so proud of, the smaller male gasped a little; that old hunk of junk the other was riding in high school had evolved just like her master. Polished silver, studded leather, she looked like a brand new bike.

"Wow… It looks amazing. I knew you'd be able to fix it, eventually." Came the appreciative whisper, the other's work not going unnoticed.

"Well, I'm a mechanic, so it isn't really hard to get spare parts." Laughing softly, the redhead gently placed the helmet in the other's hands, "Put this on. I can do without."

"K-Kevin, it isn't safe! I have my car, I can just follow you!" Ever the worrywort, it seemed he was going to deny the elder boy his treat of riding with the other… But not if he could help it.

"Come on, Double Dweeb, it's not like I'm going to crash us or anything. And Baby's fine, she won't hurt us. C'mon, just put the helmet on and get on back." Swinging his leg over casually, he sat down and started the bike up, revving the engine for good measure. Uncertain, he fingered the helmet a moment before looking into those daring green eyes again, and suddenly a strong arm was wrapped around his middle. Wincing slightly, realizing those bruises still hurt, he nearly felt like he was watching himself being lifted and placed onto the back of the motorcycle. Sliding into the protective gear, he wrapped his arms tight around the other's chest, and soon his legs joined him, terrified of the ride.

Fighting down his blush, the redhead quickly shifted them out into the street, heading for Broadway and 172nd street, where The All-Night Bite was located.

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AN: Welp, there we go, chapter three. ouo I'm on a roll right now, I think. I'm pretty happy with this story, so far. Tell me what you guys think!


	4. Broadway Is Dark Tonight

**Chapter:** 4/?  
**Word Count:** 1504  
**Pairings:** Kevin/Edd  
**Warnings:** Mentions of abuse

**AN: **First and foremost, I want to say ahead of time that I do _not_ hate Eddy. I love him a lot, but he just seemed like the best villain for this story. Of course, he has his reasons, but he ended up a bit more like his brother in this story, I think. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!

**Chapter Four: Broadway Is Dark Tonight******

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"Hey, Double D?"

The little orange ball of quivering fear didn't budge.

"Double D! We're here. The bike's parked. Shit, did it really scare you that bad?" Somehow, Kevin felt responsible, turning in the other's grasp and holding him loosely, rubbing his back and trying to be comforting. Of course, he couldn't even look at the other, not until his hand felt skin and his eyes bolted to the spot. A fresh, dark purple bruise marred the perfect, smooth skin, there, and a flare of anger reached his gritting teeth. "Hey, uh, how'd you get this?" Gently digging a finger into the other's bruise, the smaller male nearly leapt from the bike and turned, yanking his shirt down.

"O-oh, you know me, Kevin, fragile as a flower. I bumped into a doorknob and it left this huge bruise. It really isn't anything to worry about." Chuckling nervously, he turned his attention on the Deli they'd come to. Of course, the redhead wasn't really buying it, and he was certain that if he yanked up that shirt he'd find more fist-sized bruises on the timid young man's body. This really wasn't the time or place, however, so he decided to drop it.

"Well.. Let's just get something to eat. Like I said, this place is probably right up your alley." Wrapping an arm around the other, as if simply trying to whisk him along, though maybe he was feeling a little protective. Bringing the other inside, he lead him to the bar and got them both choice seats. "Hey, Winnie," He greeted the blonde that bopped up to them easily.

"Hey, Kevin. You got a friend today?" She seemed interested enough, leaning on the counter to watch the pair of now-awkwardly fidgeting young men.

"Yeah, he's an old… Uh, friend. We knew each other back in my home town." He added finally, trying not to sound like he was nothing but a floundering fish without water. "Can I get a mocha malt, please?" He asked, as though trying to return her to her job.

"Oh! Right, sure, hon. So, what does your mousy friend want?" It was almost as though she were prompting something, but the pair decided to ignore it.

"Water is fine." Double D started slowly, but Kevin shook his head.

"I'm paying, Double Dweeb, get whatever you want." With a nod of his head, the smaller male glanced over the menu before finally deciding.

"I'll just have a cherry limeade." He smiled a little, seeming to be fond of the drink. With their orders taken, she handed them some extra menus for their specials before heading off to make the drinks in question.

"You two seem awfully friendly." The smaller male noted with a soft smile, "I'm glad you've found something outside of Peach Creek." Even he knew that Nazz was a dead-end, despite her charms having affected pretty much every guy on the block as kids.

"It's nothing like that, man." Replied the taller, shaking his head, "I just come here a lot. I worked on a cleaning crew for a while, and… I guess it made me more aware of the shit some of these places try to pull."

"Heh… It seems better than most of the places in Peach Creek. Eddy always wants me to take him out, but I can't stomach food unless I make it myself." He offered with a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Ed and Eddy get takeout a lot, but I just can't bring myself to eat it… But this diner seems clean enough, and if the chef is a former health inspector… Then I'm sure it would be worth a try."

It was nicer than it should have been to see the other smile fondly like that. Bringing a smile to the usually sullen redhead's lips, he glanced away when his heart began to thud almost painfully in his chest. That was an odd reaction… But he supposed there were worse things than sweaty palms, accelerated heartbeat and dry mouth. His malt would handle the latter, hopefully.

"So, uh… How is everyone?" Kevin finally spoke as their drinks arrived. They placed their orders for food before the girl was off again, and Double D felt like answering.

"Well… Sarah and Jimmy are dating, kind of… They're doing some kind of fashion things, I don't really keep up with it. Johnny and Plank moved out on their own, and nobody's heard from them that I know of. Nazz is… Still Nazz, if you know what I mean and Rolf has taken over his parents' farm. Reportedly, his parents are trying to get him married so that they can have a grandchild and he'll have help around the farm… And the Kankers are still about sometimes, but I'm usually too busy to see them. Eddy says they keep coming around, but I'm never there for it."

"...sounds like the same old Cul-De-Sac." Kevin mused, taking a sip from his old-fashioned glass. The malt slid cold and perfect down his dry throat, and he hummed softly in delight. "So, uh… This thing with you and Eddy… Is it serious?" Somehow, he couldn't look at the other, eyes on the window to the left so he could feign he wasn't really interested.

With a soft chuckle and a semi-sad smile, Double D's eyes looked distant as he spoke, "He certainly seems to think so." Quickly, however, he added, "I think it's more a casual thing, though. If he sees other people, he doesn't tell me, and I don't really want to know. I'm faithful, of course, but you know Eddy… One is never enough."

"Same old pig he always was." Snorted the elder, shaking his head and taking another sip. "Have you ever considered.. Not being faithful?" Woah, where had that come from?

"It isn't exactly like I have the pick of the litter…" Came the sullen reply, though he made sure to pep up his next words, "But no, I never really thought about it much. I figure if Eddy is unfaithful, that is on him… I can only do so much to set a good example for him."

"I think what he needs is some discipline." Kevin grumbled, having to derail his thoughts, "But enough about Eddy. You said you were going to school in Peach Creek, right? I thought you wanted to go to Oxford or something."

"Harvard, Oxford's in Great Britain." Double D corrected graciously, smiling a little as he thought of his aspirations as a child, "Oh, I had wanted it more than anything but… I stayed because of Ed and Eddy. Even still, it isn't like my schooling is any of their concern, I can hardly get anything done between school and Eddy's scheming. He seems to think I can float them along until one of his scams takes hold and he becomes a national phenomenon."

"Sounds like him to leech you away from your real potential." Wow, he couldn't come up with a single nice thing to say about Eddy, could he? Trying to hide his grimace at the thought, the redhead piped up with, "So are any of his scams actually working, or do they always end about the same as always?"

"Well… He almost had something once or twice, but, as always, they tend to blow up in his face. Of course, I usually get the brunt of the blame, because I didn't calculate something right, or I sabotaged it, or something akin to those accusations. I'm a scientist, not a miracle worker…" Though, no matter how hard he tried, it seemed that he couldn't talk about anything _but_ Eddy…

Nearly having to bite his tongue to keep from asking something stupid, he finally decided on something else to say, "So, what brings you to Orchard, anyway?"

"I just… Needed to get away, I suppose. Sometimes it's hard being expected to do everything yourself. 'Make me a sandwich, Double D. Could you put some coals on, Double D? I don't want to do laundry today so you do it or I'll run around naked, Double D.' It's… Troublesome, but I suppose no relationship is perfect." At least, he wanted to believe that.

"Yeah, I like to go to the park when things get too hectic, too." Biting his tongue, he didn't say a thing about Eddy, which he considered saying something nice about the fat bastard. "Hey, uh, if you want a safe place to crash, i-if you're not really wanting to go home, yet, I could get you a hotel or you could stay at my place?" It came out before he really had time to filter it.

With a soft, charming smile gracing his lips, the noiret nodded, "I'll mull it over while we eat, okay, Kevin?" Just as their food arrived, Kevin tucked into his plate to hide how awkward he felt, and Double D was glad to have fresh food that he hadn't had to painstakingly put together himself for once.

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AN: I don't know why I love cliffhangers so much. I just do. Tell me what you guys think so far! This is the last update for today, but don't fret; there shall be more coming.


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